Breathable Hiking Pants?

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/hiking-pants-state-of-the-market-in-2019/

What do you wear the pants for? To avoid getting scratched up by brush? For bugs? For sun? For warmth? I was at the drugstore the other day and they had these ladies pants that were like this flowery gauzy fabric with a lining. I wondered if you took the lining out and just wore them over your shorts, would they make breathable pants for adding moderate warmth plus protection from bugs? They were black, too, so maybe they’d protect a little from sun. Wouldn’t work for a guy, but I kind of wonder if you made your own pants, could you branch out on fabrics and make something really different?

Really different might as well be my middle name.
https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/hiking-pants-state-of-the-market-in-2019/page/3/#post-3594339

Those white leg sleeves are made out of nearly 100% dyneema fabric, sold as cut protective arm protection. Feels very cool on the skin, because the fabric has unusually high thermal conductivity, it’s very breathable (fairly loose weave), and the fibers and yarns are large, round, and very smooth and so they are not as effective at stilling air as say smaller and more shaped fibers in a more dense weave.  The combination of the latter, with the high thermal conductivity, and very white color, makes them cooler than anything I’ve ever tried or worn before. About 22 dollars for a pair. Note-sold individually.

The shorts are wicking, nylon mesh gym shorts that I got very cheap on clearance (a few dollars). I cut out the liner. Very breathable.   I can fold over the shorts, and one of the dyneema sleeves, put them together, and easily suck or blow through all the layers.

Some might say that they are too breathable for sun protection, but I find that my legs/lower half, generally don’t need as much protection as my top.

Not particularly protective against mozzies and the like, but that is what very light wind pants are for if it gets bad enough.

Brad – I can wholeheartedly recommend the RailRiders Eco Mesh pants for this use.  They have two big mesh panels on the sides that can be open or zipped closed depending on the weather.  I generally unzip/zip the vents closed multiple times a day.  They have an partial elastic waist that is very comfortable with a pack and fit me well whether I’m in great hiking shape at 155lbs or not been hiking much at 170.  They have a big, baggy fit that aids in pumping air out and keeping you cool.

The downside, and some people can’t get past this, is they are very unfashionable as they can look like MC Hammer pants, especially with the vents open, but they are extremely functional.  They also come treated with insect shield for bugs.

I’ve had mine for eight years, and they have done the JMT, the WRHR, been to Alaska, done multiple off trail routes in WRR, Colorado, New Mexico, and the Sierra’s and though they are starting to look a little rough, they are still going strong.  I’ll be wearing them on a SHR/JMT loop this summer.

I haven’t tried the Forrosi, but I do have a pair of Patagonia Rock Craft pants (same fabric as the Quandary) and a pair of Prana Stretch Zion pants, both of which feel similar to the Forrosi to me, and neither are anywhwere near as cool as the RR Ecomesh.

+1 for RR Ecomesh

@Diane-the pants would be for UV protection and bugs. I tend to run really hot so after using some cheap Wrangler outdoor pants that don’t breath well I really would like something that is airy. These wouldn’t be used for bushwhacking or rough use.

I can’t speak for the performance of the RailRiders Eco Mesh pants (the features look nice), but based on the photos on their website, KUIU pants have a much more flattering fit/cut, if that’s of any concern to you. I wear the Tiburon pant in the warmer months.

Hey Justin W,

I’ve been working on exactly the same concept as your pants for the past 6 months.

In my case I’m using dyneema hockey socks to the top of the shins, following by dyneema arm protectors (doubled) over the knees, followed by my own pants design (5 unique panels rendered in linen with a dyneema crash panels running up the sides of the thighs to the hips.)

Everything you said about dyneema’s properties in hot conditions is spot on with my own experience.

By the way you can get the Saint dyneema/cotton pants material on Amazon.  Bit too thick for summer wear unless you’re riding a motorcycle.

Once they are completed, I hope to post my pants on this forum in the near future.

The pants industry needs a kick in the pants!  :-)

Here’s a pair of bright white, ultra breathable running pants according to to maker which I just found on the Solumbra website.

https://www.sunprecautions.com/product/21300

Never used these myself so I have no critique to offer on them.

Nice Patrick!  I look forward to reading your MYOG thread.

“The pants industry needs a kick in the pants!  :-)”

Agreed, and we be the crazy sons’ of female dogs to do it!  (but no offense to your moms)  ; )

Btw, I’m a big fan of flax linen as well, and to a slightly lesser extent hemp. If you check out the Sun Glove thread on Gear, you’ll see a pic of me on the CT, and the pants I’m wearing are something like 53% hemp, 44% recycled polyester, and 3% spandex. Pretty thin, pretty dang breathable, and super wicking. Prana brand.  The only thing I didn’t like about them was that they didn’t have a fly, and I was too lazy to put one in.

One does have to ask though, are you planning on wrastlin Grizzlies or the like?  Your pants sound like they will be extremely bomber in nature.

@BradW

“@Diane-the pants would be for UV protection and bugs. I tend to run really hot….I really would like something that is airy. These wouldn’t be used for bushwhacking or rough use.”

The ferrosi is what you want.  They tend to run large – I have a 33 waist and 32 fits me just fine.  They are great for hot weather.

I can’t compare them to the ORs, but Patagonia’s RPS pants have served me well in very hot and humid weather.

@Sean – thanks. I have ordered these. Seems to be the consensus.

I have a Ferrosi jacket and KUIU Tiburon pants…if the Ferrosi pants are made of the same material as the jacket, the Tiburon pants will be cooler and flow more air.  The Tiburon’s have 2 way stretch, so the Ferrosi’s will stretch more.

I’m a bit late to this thread, but around the end of last year I was searching for pants for Corcovado (rainforest in Costa Rica). I ended up getting the REI convertible pants on sale for $35.

I wore them with the legs on an entire day, including on the beach at noon in like 90-something tropical heat. Was fine, they are nice and thin and breathe well. I treated them with permethrin for bug protection.

@Rob, the Ferrosi jacket is a bit thicker than the pants. The pants are pretty light – it’d be hard to imagine a lighter fabric without compromising on durability.

Got the Ferrosi pants and wore then last weekend. Hiked in 65-82F weather and they worked great. Breathed really well. Thanks for all the input.

For me the Ferrosi fabric feels clammy after having sweated in it. I have the 3/4 length Ferrosi pants thinking I’d get some air flow…some success,,,,but..still searching